Leadership Paradoxes: Unintelligent intelligence, intelligent unintelligence

Miguel Pina e Cunha and Arménio Rego launch a new book in October. As a pre-release, we will share with readers some extracts from this new work, "Paradoxes of Leadership", where the authors approach and study how to manage contradictions, dilemmas, and tensions in organizational life.

Article by Arménio Rego e Miguel Pina e Cunha | Reading time 8 minutes

Olav Ahrens Røtne

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Convenient- but not enough

There seems to be no doubt that an intelligent leader is preferable to a less intelligent one. Smart leaders are better able to properly analyze the context and make more appropriate decisions. Are endowed with a richer vocabulary and articulate a more effective discourse. But it doesn’t follow that intelligence is an absolute value. These are those who use their intelligence to be an exquisite tyrant.

Intelligence is also not enough to succeed. Some extraordinarily intelligent people never turned the corner- because they lacked sense, social skills, or simply determination. Malcom Gladwell referred to the case of the American citizen with the highest IQ, Christopher Langam who has a relatively modest life and whose “career” is certainly not envied.

Intelligence can, moreover, represent a handicap for people who, because they are intelligent, think they will achieve good results without the need to make significant efforts. For this reason, Carol Dweck considers that it may not be convenient to tell a child that he is very intelligent. In an interview, they asked her the following question: «In your book, you defend the thesis that certain compliments for children may not bring good results. What is the best way to encourage them? »

Here’s the answer: «Compliment the child’s intelligence can lead him to a fixed mindset. That is, to face easier challenges, in which he can be successful since he does not want to put the status of his intelligence to the test. But we found that when praising the child’s effort or strategy, he will be oriented towards a growth mindset, according to which it is not frightening or risky to accept a challenge; it is not debilitating to experience failure, as it is part of the learning process. In this case, children tend to work harder, instead of worrying about not being smart.»

Comparing two mindsets

In a different way, less intelligent people, but very determined and full of grit, surpass intelligent people who don’t have this kind of determination. When compared to smarter people and at the same time they are endowed with a growth mindset (that is, they believe that talent can be developed) these people are proactive and determined in the pursuit of their goals – and surpass intelligent people with no grit.

Intelligently generate intelligence

Intelligence is important for a leader to make better decisions and be respected and credible. However, it is necessary to intelligently manage intelligence, which requires some care. First of all, it is important to know how to deal with stress properly. Excessive stress hinders the cognitive process of information, so in very stressful contexts, intelligence loses some usefulness. In contexts of great stress, it may be preferable to have an experienced leader with “normal” Intelligence than a “very intelligent” but inexperienced one.

Second, very smart leaders can intimidate “ordinary” people. Here’s what general McChrystal and his co-authors wrote in a book about the myths and reality of leadership:

“Many groups select leaders who have a level of intelligence just slightly above average, presumably because they feel it is difficult to relate to those who have exceptional intelligence. Followers want competence and intelligence in their leaders, but they also want them to be relatable. That’s why the relationship between leadership and genius is so curious. While leaders are generally intelligent, exceptionally intelligent people are less likely to emerge as leaders.”

Intelligence can, therefore, make leaders excessively demanding and incomprehensible. It can lead to high levels of ambition but also impatience. Those around them may feel unable to meet expectations. And the motivational mood of the team can be impoverished. Therefore, in certain circumstances, it may be intelligent, that a leader does not reveal much intelligence. The teacher who insists on revealing intelligence to students may be pushing them away and preventing himself from being a good teacher. The same is true for leaders more concerned with showing their awareness than acting as developmental coaches for their followers.

Third, highly intelligent people can become superb and devalue the risks of their smart choices. They can be so cognitively sophisticated that they lose interest in the “banalities” of organizational, current, and mundane life. Are excited by complex puzzles but the problems and opportunities of organizational life are not necessarily so complex.

Intelligence, therefore, lacks the company of other qualities - such as emotional skills, wisdom, and common sense. It also requires a decisive capacity for action. Very intelligent leaders can be so committed to understanding the complexities of the situation that they postpone the decision making until they have formed the complete picture of the situation - but the appropriate time for decision may, in the meantime, be over.

Choose talents or people with determination?

The leader’s ability to properly use his intelligence also applies to the choice of the led. It can be smart, not to hire the smartest if they behave like stars, are bad team players, and become relationally unbearable.

The ability to work in a team requires more than intelligence. Organizations that hire stars, to whom they pay exorbitant amounts, risk disturbing the commitment of other employees who feel left out. A team’s performance does not depend on the sum of individual performances. And a collection of intelligent and brilliant people does not necessarily generate an intelligent team. The (collective) intelligence of a team depends on the ability of its members to share knowledge, learn from each other, be sensitive to each other’s needs, and make use of diversity.

There is an additional reason for not selecting some types of intelligent people: those who have a fixed mindset. These people consider that because they are intelligent they do not need to strive to learn and grow. When they fail, they refuse to assume failure, or become emotionally shattered, feeling that failure is a sign of disability. These people can also refuse tasks that could endanger their image. Differently, less talented people but with a growth mindset may be more willing to take risks, to face failure as an opportunity for learning, and to persevere.

Carol Dweck, a specialist in mindset theory was once asked the following question: “You already said that valuing intellect and intelligence made us fail as a society: can you explain?”  Here’s the answer:

«To worship talent is to believe that it is fixed. You either have it or you don’t. This favors a model in which people constantly need to give evidence, instead of taking risks on projects in which they may fail. While reverencing the process of trying different strategies and learning from setbacks, encourages people to face more challenges and to be more persistent».

They also asked her: «In your book, you defend the thesis that certain compliments for your children may not bring good results, what is the best way to encourage them?». Dweck replied:

«(...) complimenting the child’s intelligence can lead him to a fixed mindset. That is, to face easier challenges in which he can be successful, since he does not want to put the status of his intelligence, to the test. But we found out when praising the child’s effort or strategy, he will be oriented towards a growth mindset, according to which, it is not fearful or risky to accept a challenge, it is not debilitating to experience a failure, as it is part of the learning process. In this case, children tend to work harder, instead of worrying about not being smart».

The reader may be tempted to argue that the theory applies to children and adolescents/teenagers but not adults or organizational life. Four points allow us to understand that this theory does not describe the reality. First, these two mindsets are shared during adulthood. Second, different leaders advocate different mindsets. Third, organizations also differ in the degree to which their cultures are more energized by one or another mindset. Fourth, leaders and organizations with a fixed mindset tend to consider that intelligence and talent are fixed. Therefore, they assume that the talented ones should be hired, if necessary outside the organization. Differently, leaders and organizations with a growth mindset regard intelligence and talent as liable to development. Invest in the development of people and act as multipliers of talent. These leaders and these organizations can be more successful than leaders and organizations with a fixed mindset and full of... intelligent people.

Final note: The dark side

Intelligence, by itself, has no moral value. Acquires moral value by the way it is used. Very machiavellian leaders, manipulators, and psychopaths become especially problematic when endowed with great intelligence.

Unintelligent Intelligence, Intelligent unintelligence: Key ideas

Under certain circumstances, it may be smart not to reveal too much intelligence. And intelligence alone does not generate good leadership - requiring the company of other attributes such as social skills, practical wisdom, emotional intelligence, and determination. Intelligent people without determination can be overtaken by less intelligent people but full of determination.

Three implications for action

• Do not expose your intelligence excessively. It may not be very smart - it can intimidate other people.
  
  
• Very intelligent leaders can make very unintelligent decisions in certain situations. The reason: the nature of some situations does not require great intelligence, so the application of a lot of intelligence to the situation can be a source of complications. Therefore, do not complicate what is simple!
  
  
• Do not label people as intelligent or incapable. Talent can be developed. Act as a talent multiplier.
  
  

An extension

Complement your intelligence with prudence, practical wisdom, common sense, and determination.

Also read the article "Leadership Paradoxes: Pessimistic Optimism, Optimistic Pessimism" here.